FAO.org

The Global Bioenergy Partnership’s (GBEP) annual bioenergy week took place at the end of June in Accra, Ghana. Activities included field visits and there was a special focus on bioenergy production from biogas in the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) region. 

This year the event was hosted by the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), in cooperation with GBEP, and supported by FAO, UNDP, and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Forestry, Water and the Environment. The event gathered 90 participants including representatives from most ECOWAS countries, but also from the private sector and civil society organisations. It was an opportunity for participants to discuss and share experiences related to the development and deployment of sustainable energy. It strengthened cooperation between member states and established institutions, and highlighted the importance of the private sector in increasing the uptake of sustainable energy services.

The week has been organized in different countries around the world as part of capacity building activities carried out by GBEP since 2013. It is a chance to assess the practicality of integrating food and bioenergy production and to expand modern bioenergy access, to increase food security, whilst improving health, livelihoods and conserving biodiversity. The event highlighted needs within the sector to:

• translate the ECOWAS Bioenergy Policy presented at the meeting into national policies
• balance guaranteed provision of feedstock with a careful analysis of the competitive use of biomass feedstock.
• foster knowledge, research and development to formulate bankable projects and access the funding opportunities available.
• reinforce collaboration between the private and public sector, to carry out sustainability assessments to enhance the potential benefits (and reduce negative impacts) of bioenergy production.